The Taliban Threatens Voting Afghans: WE WILL CUT OFF YOUR FINGER

The New York Times reporter Dexter Filkins has just reported of a Taliban fighter group announcing in a bazaar that “anyone caught voting in the presidential election will have his finger — the one inked for the ballot — cut off.”

To which the villagers in fear of Taliban relatiation will not be voting in the up coming election.

The Taliban has already claimed responsibility for killing campaign workers for President Karzai and presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah, in provinces across the country.

With the recent car bomb explosion at the gates of NATO ISAF Headquarters, many Kabul city citizens have decided not to participate on the polling scheduled on Thursday. And with word of Taliban attacks to increase on the days leading up to, and day of, the election, many in villages and other cities are also hesitant to participate.

This could be very unfortunate for the US and the rest of the West, who have organized these elections as an example of the success in Afghanistan. The West was hoping the election would be a show of stability in the country.

Filkins quoted several villagers speaking of the dangers of dealing with Americans.

“When you leave here, the Taliban will come at night and ask us why we were talking to you,” a villager named Abdul Razzaq said. “If we cooperate, they would kill us.”

Lt. Col. Christian Cabaniss, of the Second Battalion’s commander admitted to security issues surrounding the election. “It’s too insecure in those places,” he said.

Karzai was expected to win the election according to some polls taken prior to the new Taliban campaign against the election. Karzai’s previous victory happened through an overwhelming support of the Pashtun people in Afghanistan, who compromise 40% of the Afghan population.

This time around the results may turn up different, due to Taliban’s attempts at keeping people away from polling places in Afghanistan.

Here is a link to an article talking about what Karzai is doing to rest the fears the Taliban is flaming http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/3931698-karzai-hopes-to-win-election-by-permitting-gen-dostums-return-from-exile